Kolhapur: Cane growers from Kolhapur are struggling as their flood-hit damaged sugarcane crop is still standing in the field. Taking note of this, District collector Daulat Desai has convened the meeting of the sugar millers on Wednesday. In a meeting, he asked the sugar millers to refrain from procuring sugarcane from neighbouring states until they complete crushing of damaged crop from the district. The meeting was attended by sugar millers, representatives of farmers and Veteran activist N D Patil.
The collectorate will appoint assistant registrar at every mill to monitor cane crushing of the damaged crop.
“When cane crushing season began, the millers were asked to take 70% fresh crop and 30% damaged crop for crushing. But the damaged cane remains in the fields and millers have not followed the instructions. However now they have to crush 70 per cent of the damaged crop and 30 per cent good cane for crushing till they crush the damaged crop completely,” said Desai.
Recently, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna (SSS), warned sugar mills in the district to cut and crush the Sugarcane damaged due to floods by January end, else they will shut down the mills. Jalinder Patil, state president of SSS met district collector Daulat Desai and pointed out the mills are not following directives issued by him to cut cane from the flood-affected area on a priority basis.
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